Staff Listing

What is the “Timeshare Effect”?

By Howard Nusbaum

August 26, 2013

We’ve taken a page out of the successful “Travel Effect” campaign from our friends at the U.S. Travel Association, and developed an infographic looking at the “Timeshare Effect”—a look at how timeshare vacations have a positive effect on lifestyle, family memories, and finances.

As you all know, we hear from our owners every day about how their lives have been positively changed because of their timeshare ownership. This is a way for us to capture this anecdotal sentiment with hard facts for other would-be timeshare owners.

We look at how timeshare vacations have a positive effect on lifestyle, family memories, and finances. On the financial side, it’s clear that owning a timeshare enables families to take annual vacations for much less than what they would pay for a traditional hotel, saving an average of $25,000 over 20 years of vacationing.

We also look at how owning a timeshare has significant effects on lifestyle. Since timeshare owners have essentially pre-paid for their annual vacation, they are much more likely to take that vacation, which leads to many health and wellness benefits.

Reshaping the Sales Experience—One Tablet at a
Time

By Kathryn Mullan

August 22, 2013

Here’s a sneak peek at an upcoming Developments magazine article, to be published in the
October 2013 edition.

In May, Wyndham
Vacation Ownership (WVO) began a roll-out of Apple iPads to their sales team that would not only prove
to enhance the sales experience for the salesperson and the owner, but also
have benefits that extend throughout the organization.

They deployed more than 3,000 iPads to every
sales associate, giving them a comprehensive sales tool center on one simple,
easy-to-use platform. With it, WVO can deliver the most up-to-date, consistent,
and accurate sales information and training—while providing the “wow” factor for owners and would-be owners.

“We
have had a tremendous reaction from our associates and our owners,” said Maria
Margenot, senior vice president of sales development, recruiting and training
for WVO. “It gives the owners a great, interactive way to learn about the
product; it gives the associates the confidence they need when they are
presenting; and it gives WVO the assurance that the brand is reflected properly—every
time.”

And WVO isn’t the only one getting in on the iPad action. The two largest exchange companies, RCI and Interval International, are
also embracing the iPad and other consumer-friendly technologies.

Interval Sales
Tool Kit App (with its Exchange Tracker feature) animates thousands of
exchanges booked by members on an interactive world map. This allows resort sales associates to demonstrate
the vacation possibilities available through shared ownership.

The RCI Affiliates app for the iPad is designed
to keep staff up-to-date on the latest offerings from RCI and provide an
engaging tool that can be used at the point of sale to illustrate the
additional benefits of vacation ownership to prospective owners.

There are also many other developers out there either
starting similar programs, or thinking about whether this is a new way of
operating they need to embrace. For WVO, RCI, and Interval International, the
answer is clear. And it’s written on an iPad.

For the full article, be on the lookout for the October
issue of Developments!

Recreation or Re-Creation?

By Kathryn Mullan, Editor & Director of Publications

August 16, 2013

That was the theme in the recent August issue of ARDA’s Developments magazine—how are the industry, developers, and resort managements teams maximizing recreation into vacation experiences so that owners can create their own leisure, at their own pace?

What we found is that as owners seek new experiences, the timeshare industry is ready to deliver.

For adventure-seekers, resorts are expanding their programs to include more adventure-based activities like zip lining, ATV riding, and scuba diving. Christina Wells wrote in her article “Looking For Adventure?” that adventure travel accounts for $89 billion in global spending and 26 percent of travelers from Latin America, North America, and Europe engage in adventure activities while traveling. There are even experiential-themed resorts like the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the staff engages guests with the surrounding national park through entertaining and educational activities, designed to draw them into the destination as a whole.

For owners who define recreation as creating a relaxing space to unwind, this is our industry’s sweet spot. We know that the emotional connection of a timeshare vacation is about the experience—whether that means a new experience or the nostalgia of returning to a familiar, beloved place—and our resorts continue to enhance the guest experience. In Kate Norton’s article “The Evolution of Resort Recreation,” she suggests not to overlook the power of simplicity. Offering babysitting services, wine tastings, and themed parties create happy memories and peaceful vacation experiences too!

If you forgot to take your Developments issue on vacation with you, it’s not too late to read through many of the great articles and re-create your sense of adventure! Check out the August issue of the magazine online.